Purdue vs. Rutgers: 2021-22 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
Thursday’s game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights features two teams trending in very different directions.
TV Schedule: Thursday, December 9, 7:00 pm ET on BTN
Arena: Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey
One year ago, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights made the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Purdue Boilermakers did not. Since then, the two teams’ fortunes have changed drastically.
Through the first month of the season, Matt Painter’s Boilermakers have emerged as one of the best teams in the country. This week, his squad made school history when it reached the pinnacle of the AP poll for the first time ever.
It would be a big surprise to see Rutgers even receive votes in the AP poll again this season. The Scarlet Knights have been a big disappointment, starting the year 4-4. The NCAA Tournament is beginning to appear as a distant dream for Steve Pikiell’s team.
The one thing Rutgers seemingly has going for it ahead of Thursday’s game is home-court advantage. Opponents feared entering the RAC in recent years as Rutgers’ rowdy faithful made things difficult for opposing players.
It’s no longer called the RAC, though, and is no longer striking fear in the hearts of opponents. Just look at Lafayette, which marched into Piscataway and walked away with a 53-51 victory, one of the worst losses by a major conference school all season.
Rutgers has six days between its most recent game, a 35-point loss to Illinois, and the contest against Purdue, perhaps giving Pikiell some time to draw up answers to the Boilermakers‘ offense. The Scarlet Knights will need it, as their 65.6 points per game fail to rank in the top 300 of Division I hoops.
Purdue needs no introduction, meanwhile. The No. 1 team in the country is 8-0, including impressive wins over Villanova, UNC, and Florida State. Jaden Ivey is looking like a star averaging 15.9 points per game.
The Boilermakers have one of the most dynamic offenses in the nation. Entering play on Monday, Purdue ranked sixth in points per game (90.5) and ninth in assists per game (19.0).
Now Purdue isn’t perfect – the 77-70 win over Iowa on Friday night demonstrated as much, one of the stiffest challenges the Boilermakers have faced all year. Iowa was able to rally almost all the way back from a 19-point deficit after forcing 17 turnovers from Purdue.
That could play into Rutgers’ advantage. While not elite, Rutgers is above average when it comes to turnovers, forcing 12.1 per game. Then again, Rutgers turns the ball over 10.4 times per game – what they take, they give away too.
All being said, the talent gap between these two teams is wide. Ron Harper Jr. is leading the way for Rutgers with 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, but doesn’t look like he did at the beginning of last year when he was a Big Ten Player of the Year Candidate. Cliff Omoruyi and Geo Baker are both averaging at least 11 points per game, but no one else is averaging even seven.
Four players, including Ivey, are averaging at least 12 points per game for the Boilermakers. Zach Edey has 15.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. Trevion Williams has 12.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Sasha Stefanovic has 12.3 points per game and is hitting 46 percent of his threes.
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Rutgers just doesn’t have the talent or depth to keep up.
Prediction: Purdue 84, Rutgers 71